Paul Anthony
Maddock
Employee
653856

Decision
-
Agreement

Firm details

No detail provided:

Outcome details

This outcome was reached by SRA decision.

Reasons/basis

1. Agreed outcome

1.1 Paul Anthony Maddock, a former employee of a firm authorised by the SRA. He is not a solicitor. Mr Maddock agrees to the following outcome to the investigation of his conduct by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA):

to the SRA making an order under section 43 of the Solicitors Act 1974 (a section 43 order) in relation to him that, from the date of this agreement:

no solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with his practice as a solicitor

no employee of a solicitor shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the solicitor's practice

no recognised body shall employ or remunerate him

no manager or employee of a recognised body shall employ or remunerate him in connection with the business of that body

no recognised body or manager or employee of such a body shall permit him to be a manager of the body

no recognised body or manager or employee of such body shall permit him to have an interest in the body

except in accordance with the SRA's prior permission

to the publication of this agreement

he will pay the costs of the investigation of £300.

2. Summary of facts

2.1 From 18 July 2016 until 17 July 2018 Mr Maddock was employed as a billing assistant at a firm authorised and regulated by the SRA.

2.2 On 4 June 2018 Mr Maddock was found guilty of four serious criminal offences.

2.3 Mr Maddock was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £140.

3. Admissions

Mr Maddock admits, and the SRA accepts, that his conviction for serious criminal offences means that it is undesirable for him to be involved in a legal practice.

4. Why a section 43 order is appropriate

4.1 The SRA’s Enforcement Strategy and its guidance on how it regulates non-authorised persons, sets out its approach to using section 43 orders to control where a non-authorised person can work.

When considering whether a section 43 order is appropriate in this matter, the SRA has taken into account the admissions made by Mr Maddock. He has not put forward any mitigation.

4.2 The SRA and Mr Maddock agree that a section 43 order is appropriate because:

Mr Maddock is not a solicitor.

Mr Maddock was employed at the firm, means that he was involved in a legal practice.

He has been convicted of offences which make it undesirable for him to be involved in legal practice.

4.3 It is undesirable for Mr Maddock to be involved in legal practice because the seriousness of his criminal conduct would undermine public trust in the provision of legal services.

5. Publication

5.1 The SRA considers it appropriate that this agreement is published in the interests of transparency in the regulatory process. Mr Maddock agrees to the publication of this agreement.

6. Acting in a way which is inconsistent with this agreement

6.1 Mr Maddock agrees that he will not deny the admissions made in this agreement or act in any way which is inconsistent with it.

7. Costs

7.1 Mr Maddock agrees to pay the costs of the SRA's investigation in the sum of £300. Such costs are due within 28 days of a statement of costs due being issued by the SRA.